When do sunflowers start to be planted?

Sunflower is a common garden plant suitable for planting in gardens or yards. Edible sunflower seeds can be eaten, dried and used as a snack or used to make sunflower oil . Sunflowers symbolize optimism and courage in the face of difficulties, and represent a positive attitude towards life that pursues light and progress. Let’s learn in detail about when to start sowing sunflowers?

When do sunflowers start to be planted?

Sunflowers are propagated mainly through sowing. For ordinary edible sunflowers, since the purpose is to harvest seeds, sowing is usually arranged between April and June in spring to ensure sufficient growth cycle and maturity of seeds. For sunflower varieties that are mainly used for ornamental purposes, due to their strong cold resistance and the fact that they are usually not grown for the purpose of harvesting seeds, the sowing time is relatively flexible and can be done in both spring and autumn. This timing allows the ornamental sunflower to adapt to different climatic conditions and display its beautiful flowers in different seasons.

Key points for sunflower cultivation

1. Preparation for sowing

Before sowing, apply 30 to 35 dan of mixed fertilizer or 25 dan of cow dung per acre of land, and add 3 dan of grass ash. Use a plow and harrow to prepare the land, forming beds 2 to 2.5 meters wide. The best time for spring sowing is from late March to late April, and the earlier the sowing, the higher the expected yield. You can choose to sow directly or raise seedlings first and then transplant. The planting density is one plant per hole, with a row spacing of 65 cm and a plant spacing of 60 cm.

2. Seedling management

The survival rate of sunflower seedlings grown and transplanted with soil is usually over 90%. Seedling replacement should be carried out when the seedlings have 1 to 2 pairs of true leaves. When the seedlings are 15 to 20 cm tall, they should be planted according to the predetermined row and plant spacing, with one plant remaining in each hole. Carry out three intertillages, the first is manual weeding and thinning, the second is intertillage when the seedlings are 50 to 60 cm tall and ridges are made to prevent lodging.

3. Use herbicides

"Fluralin" can effectively control narrow-leaf weeds. The dosage is 300 grams per mu, add 20 kilograms of water, spray it 10 days before sowing, and deep plow the soil layer 10 centimeters to prevent pesticide damage. For broad-leaved weeds, you can use 50% of Promethazine, 200 grams per mu, add 20 kilograms of water, and spray within 3 days after sowing.

4. Growth regulation

Prune side branches in time to control plant growth. When the plant grows 7 to 8 pairs of true leaves, applying nitrogen and potassium fertilizers will be most effective. If base fertilizer is not applied at the time of sowing, top dressing should be applied as soon as possible. During the first tillage, 12 to 15 kg of ammonium nitrate, 25 kg of ammonium bicarbonate, or 8 kg of urea should be applied together with 15 kg of potassium chloride.

Sunflowers require supplemental pollination to produce fruit. Artificial pollination can be carried out at 8 to 10 am (before the morning dew dries) and 3 pm during the flowering period, using soft cotton as a powder puff to help spread pollen on the flower disk. In addition, pollination can also be assisted by releasing bees.

During the fruiting period, increase the application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers appropriately. In case of leaf spot or rust, you can use 1500 times diluted 15% fenacet wettable powder for spraying; 10 days after pollination, use 1000 times diluted 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate or 1500 times diluted 20% aphidine No. 2 for spraying to control aphids, mites, etc.

When harvesting seeds, it should be done when the small flowers on the disk wither and the grains turn black. Select flower disks with large flower disks, short plants, thick stems, no pests and diseases, and abundant fruits as seed sources. The flower discs for seeds should be placed in the field for 3 to 5 days and then dried.

The above is an introduction to the sowing time and cultivation points of sunflowers. Sunflower is not only a beautiful ornamental plant, but also a crop with economic value, and its market prospects are very good.